Latest news with #Prelude
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Honda Australia sets tight deadline for hybrids to account for 90 per cent of its sales
Honda Australia said 90 per cent of its local sales will consist of hybrid vehicles by mid-2026 – when the Prelude coupe is scheduled to return as a hybrid – compared to roughly half of its current volume. Hybrid models made up 53 per cent of Honda sales here across May and June 2025, despite its best-selling model – the CR-V – only offering hybrid power in its top trim level. That percentage is even better than market-leader Toyota Australia, which saw hybrids make up 46 per cent of its sales in the first six months of 2025. "That [roughly half hybrid sales] trend will continue for the balance of this year," said Honda Australia managing director Rob Thorp during a media event in Melbourne. "But as we go into next year, there are going to be a number of changes to our lineup which I think will accelerate that even more." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Mr Thorp confirmed updated versions of both the CR-V and ZR-V are set for arrival in Australia in the second quarter (April-June) 2026 and will offer a hybrid powertrain across more model grades. "Those models will expand a hybrid offering quite significantly and will see us introduce a new four-wheel drive hybrid powertrain to the lineup," the Honda boss said. "It means over 80 per cent of our products will be hybrid … and nearly 90 per cent of our sales will be hybrid in nature by this time next year." Honda's hybrids – which it calls e:HEVs – in Australia are currently all front-wheel drive. That's pretty standard in the small SUV segment, but in the mid-size SUV segment – where the CR-V and ZR-V sit – rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail e-Power offer hybrid power combined with all-wheel drive systems. The growing ranks of Honda hybrids will include the reborn Prelude sports car, which will make its return to Australian showrooms after a 25-year absence, using an electrified powertrain. It'll be sportier than the standard Civic and Accord, sharing components including suspension, brakes and other parts with the petrol-powered Civic Type R hot hatch. Yet Honda Australia said the Prelude is "not a volume model", with 94 per cent of its total sales in the first half of 2025 made up of its SUVs – the CR-V, ZR-V and smaller HR-V. "If you look at the market year-on-year, while it is down, growth of SUVs where we [Honda] play in most of the time, the growth of SUVs is all in hybrid," said Mr Thorp. "BEV [battery-electric vehicles] is pretty flat, ICE [internal combustion engines] is declining, but all the growth is in hybrid technology … I think it's a reflection of what customers want." "For a long time [at Honda Australia] it's been a strategy built on hybrid before a transition to BEV – and fundamentally, that strategy we've held out for a number of years has not ultimately changed. "We think that even right now, while BEVs are penetrating the market – there's a lot of noise about – in reality the hybrids are the choice for consumers."MORE: Explore the Honda showroom Content originally sourced from: Honda Australia said 90 per cent of its local sales will consist of hybrid vehicles by mid-2026 – when the Prelude coupe is scheduled to return as a hybrid – compared to roughly half of its current volume. Hybrid models made up 53 per cent of Honda sales here across May and June 2025, despite its best-selling model – the CR-V – only offering hybrid power in its top trim level. That percentage is even better than market-leader Toyota Australia, which saw hybrids make up 46 per cent of its sales in the first six months of 2025. "That [roughly half hybrid sales] trend will continue for the balance of this year," said Honda Australia managing director Rob Thorp during a media event in Melbourne. "But as we go into next year, there are going to be a number of changes to our lineup which I think will accelerate that even more." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Mr Thorp confirmed updated versions of both the CR-V and ZR-V are set for arrival in Australia in the second quarter (April-June) 2026 and will offer a hybrid powertrain across more model grades. "Those models will expand a hybrid offering quite significantly and will see us introduce a new four-wheel drive hybrid powertrain to the lineup," the Honda boss said. "It means over 80 per cent of our products will be hybrid … and nearly 90 per cent of our sales will be hybrid in nature by this time next year." Honda's hybrids – which it calls e:HEVs – in Australia are currently all front-wheel drive. That's pretty standard in the small SUV segment, but in the mid-size SUV segment – where the CR-V and ZR-V sit – rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail e-Power offer hybrid power combined with all-wheel drive systems. The growing ranks of Honda hybrids will include the reborn Prelude sports car, which will make its return to Australian showrooms after a 25-year absence, using an electrified powertrain. It'll be sportier than the standard Civic and Accord, sharing components including suspension, brakes and other parts with the petrol-powered Civic Type R hot hatch. Yet Honda Australia said the Prelude is "not a volume model", with 94 per cent of its total sales in the first half of 2025 made up of its SUVs – the CR-V, ZR-V and smaller HR-V. "If you look at the market year-on-year, while it is down, growth of SUVs where we [Honda] play in most of the time, the growth of SUVs is all in hybrid," said Mr Thorp. "BEV [battery-electric vehicles] is pretty flat, ICE [internal combustion engines] is declining, but all the growth is in hybrid technology … I think it's a reflection of what customers want." "For a long time [at Honda Australia] it's been a strategy built on hybrid before a transition to BEV – and fundamentally, that strategy we've held out for a number of years has not ultimately changed. "We think that even right now, while BEVs are penetrating the market – there's a lot of noise about – in reality the hybrids are the choice for consumers."MORE: Explore the Honda showroom Content originally sourced from: Honda Australia said 90 per cent of its local sales will consist of hybrid vehicles by mid-2026 – when the Prelude coupe is scheduled to return as a hybrid – compared to roughly half of its current volume. Hybrid models made up 53 per cent of Honda sales here across May and June 2025, despite its best-selling model – the CR-V – only offering hybrid power in its top trim level. That percentage is even better than market-leader Toyota Australia, which saw hybrids make up 46 per cent of its sales in the first six months of 2025. "That [roughly half hybrid sales] trend will continue for the balance of this year," said Honda Australia managing director Rob Thorp during a media event in Melbourne. "But as we go into next year, there are going to be a number of changes to our lineup which I think will accelerate that even more." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Mr Thorp confirmed updated versions of both the CR-V and ZR-V are set for arrival in Australia in the second quarter (April-June) 2026 and will offer a hybrid powertrain across more model grades. "Those models will expand a hybrid offering quite significantly and will see us introduce a new four-wheel drive hybrid powertrain to the lineup," the Honda boss said. "It means over 80 per cent of our products will be hybrid … and nearly 90 per cent of our sales will be hybrid in nature by this time next year." Honda's hybrids – which it calls e:HEVs – in Australia are currently all front-wheel drive. That's pretty standard in the small SUV segment, but in the mid-size SUV segment – where the CR-V and ZR-V sit – rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail e-Power offer hybrid power combined with all-wheel drive systems. The growing ranks of Honda hybrids will include the reborn Prelude sports car, which will make its return to Australian showrooms after a 25-year absence, using an electrified powertrain. It'll be sportier than the standard Civic and Accord, sharing components including suspension, brakes and other parts with the petrol-powered Civic Type R hot hatch. Yet Honda Australia said the Prelude is "not a volume model", with 94 per cent of its total sales in the first half of 2025 made up of its SUVs – the CR-V, ZR-V and smaller HR-V. "If you look at the market year-on-year, while it is down, growth of SUVs where we [Honda] play in most of the time, the growth of SUVs is all in hybrid," said Mr Thorp. "BEV [battery-electric vehicles] is pretty flat, ICE [internal combustion engines] is declining, but all the growth is in hybrid technology … I think it's a reflection of what customers want." "For a long time [at Honda Australia] it's been a strategy built on hybrid before a transition to BEV – and fundamentally, that strategy we've held out for a number of years has not ultimately changed. "We think that even right now, while BEVs are penetrating the market – there's a lot of noise about – in reality the hybrids are the choice for consumers."MORE: Explore the Honda showroom Content originally sourced from: Honda Australia said 90 per cent of its local sales will consist of hybrid vehicles by mid-2026 – when the Prelude coupe is scheduled to return as a hybrid – compared to roughly half of its current volume. Hybrid models made up 53 per cent of Honda sales here across May and June 2025, despite its best-selling model – the CR-V – only offering hybrid power in its top trim level. That percentage is even better than market-leader Toyota Australia, which saw hybrids make up 46 per cent of its sales in the first six months of 2025. "That [roughly half hybrid sales] trend will continue for the balance of this year," said Honda Australia managing director Rob Thorp during a media event in Melbourne. "But as we go into next year, there are going to be a number of changes to our lineup which I think will accelerate that even more." CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. Mr Thorp confirmed updated versions of both the CR-V and ZR-V are set for arrival in Australia in the second quarter (April-June) 2026 and will offer a hybrid powertrain across more model grades. "Those models will expand a hybrid offering quite significantly and will see us introduce a new four-wheel drive hybrid powertrain to the lineup," the Honda boss said. "It means over 80 per cent of our products will be hybrid … and nearly 90 per cent of our sales will be hybrid in nature by this time next year." Honda's hybrids – which it calls e:HEVs – in Australia are currently all front-wheel drive. That's pretty standard in the small SUV segment, but in the mid-size SUV segment – where the CR-V and ZR-V sit – rivals such as the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail e-Power offer hybrid power combined with all-wheel drive systems. The growing ranks of Honda hybrids will include the reborn Prelude sports car, which will make its return to Australian showrooms after a 25-year absence, using an electrified powertrain. It'll be sportier than the standard Civic and Accord, sharing components including suspension, brakes and other parts with the petrol-powered Civic Type R hot hatch. Yet Honda Australia said the Prelude is "not a volume model", with 94 per cent of its total sales in the first half of 2025 made up of its SUVs – the CR-V, ZR-V and smaller HR-V. "If you look at the market year-on-year, while it is down, growth of SUVs where we [Honda] play in most of the time, the growth of SUVs is all in hybrid," said Mr Thorp. "BEV [battery-electric vehicles] is pretty flat, ICE [internal combustion engines] is declining, but all the growth is in hybrid technology … I think it's a reflection of what customers want." "For a long time [at Honda Australia] it's been a strategy built on hybrid before a transition to BEV – and fundamentally, that strategy we've held out for a number of years has not ultimately changed. "We think that even right now, while BEVs are penetrating the market – there's a lot of noise about – in reality the hybrids are the choice for consumers."MORE: Explore the Honda showroom Content originally sourced from:
Miami Herald
02-08-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Leaked Prelude Pricing: Too Pricey for Its Own Good?
The Honda Prelude is making a comeback. On paper, it has all the right ingredients for a frugal sports coupe: sleek styling, a hybrid powertrain, and a nameplate that still resonates with enthusiasts. But according to a leak from Japanese outlet Creative Trend, it might arrive with a price tag that could alienate the very buyers who made it iconic. According to the leak, Honda will officially debut the new Prelude on September 4, and orders in Japan will open the next day. The first production run will be limited to just 2,000 units. The leaked Japanese MSRP puts the 2026 Prelude at ¥6,179,800, or roughly $41,000. That's significantly more than the Civic Type R, which starts at ¥4,997,300 in Japan. It also puts it uncomfortably close to the price of more performance-focused cars. A limited-run ON Edition will also be offered at launch for ¥6,540,000 (about $43,400), with unique details like a black roof and bundled extras. However, buyers must pay in full, are limited to one unit, and cannot resell it after purchase. For a Honda coupe, that's unusually exclusive. The Prelude shares its platform with the Civic, but Honda is treating it as more than a badge-engineering job. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter hybrid system with two electric motors, paired with a CVT. Brakes and suspension are adapted from the Civic Type R, and the Prelude gets heated seats, a digital dash, and a BOSE sound system. Adaptive dampers and 19-inch wheels come standard, along with Google-based infotainment. It seems like less of a reskinned Civic coupe, and more like a grown-up Type R that you can cruise in without needing a chiropractor. Its ¥6,179,800 ($41,000) price tag feels especially steep when compared to what else the market offers. The Nissan Z starts at ¥5,497,800 ($36,500) in Japan, while the BMW Z4 - imported from Austria - starts at ¥4,995,000 ($33,200). Both are rear-wheel-drive and pack more power. The Prelude, by contrast, is front-wheel-drive only and CVT-exclusive. If built in Japan, export fees could bump the US price even higher. Initially, we thought it would go head-to-head with cheaper, enthusiast-approved options like the Toyota GR86 and Mazda MX-5 Miata. But if not, it's hard to see how this version of the Prelude will connect with the younger buyers it seems to target. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Auto Express
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
The Honda Civic has got an angry new look
With the new Prelude coming in early 2026 and the current Civic entering its fourth year on sale, Honda has decided it's the right time to give its hybrid Toyota Corolla rival a revamp. All three trim levels come down by over £1,900, with the entry Elegance now costing £33,795, the mid-spec Sport £35,395 and the range-topping Advance £38,695. Also changed for the revised Civic are the looks. 'Refined in response to customer feedback', according to Honda (and to keep the Civic looking fresh alongside the upcoming Prelude), there's a more aggressive front bumper and lower grille, with the latter finished in gloss black, and a new upper grille and trim around the headlight for what the brand described as a 'sharper, sportier look'. Advertisement - Article continues below The Civic also loses its front fog lights to 'further streamline the design', with improved LED headlights ensuring visibility is maintained. Down the side there are new 18-inch two-tone, diamond-cut alloys (grey for Advance and black for Sport trims), plus a gloss black finish to the window surrounds. Honda has also switched up the colour choice with Seabed Blue (a finish we've seen on the HR-V already) replacing Premium Crystal Blue. Platinum White Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Sonic Gray Pearl and Premium Crystal Red Metallic are kept from before. If the new Civic's looks aren't to your tastes, Auto Express has loads of pre-facelift Honda Civics to choose from so check out the Used Car Marketplace here . Honda has tweaked the Civic's cabin too with a new black headliner, matte chrome detailing on the air vents and on the top Advance trim, ambient lighting and footwell lights. Sport adds a heated steering wheel (new for the Civic) and as standard every version gets the same 10.2-inch driver's display albeit with improved graphics. Elegance also now gets wireless smartphone charging on the centre console. The Civic's hybrid engine and CVT transmission remain unchanged so there's a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a maximum output of 181bhp and 315Nm of torque. The Civic's efficiency has improved however, from 56.5mpg to a combined 60.1mpg. Acceleration remains the same as before at 7.9 seconds to 62mph. Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express ? We'll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too .
IOL News
31-07-2025
- Automotive
- IOL News
Honda reveals sleek new Prelude coupe in final production form
Honda is bringing some nostalgia back to its line-up with the reintroduction of the Prelude coupe. The Japanese firm has pulled the covers off the production version of its new two-door, and its design remains painstakingly faithful to the prototypes that have been shown at various motor shows around the world since 2023. Its exterior design, Honda says, was inspired by a glider, and designed to evoke a sense of gliding gracefully through the air, but at this stage, there is no word on how powerful it is. We do know that it will feature an evolution of Honda's e:HEV hybrid system, also featured in the latest Civic, where it produces 135kW and 315Nm in 2.0-litre form.
The Advertiser
31-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
2026 Honda Prelude has no direct competition, say Australian bosses
The Honda Prelude name will return to Australian showrooms for the first time in 25 years with its planned arrival in mid-2026, but it won't sit alongside any direct rivals nor set sales charts on fire, according to the brand. The Prelude was previously a mainstay in a highly competitive sports car market which has shrunk to a handful of models, including the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, Ford Mustang, Nissan Z and Toyota Supra. According to Honda, none of these are direct rivals to the 2026 Prelude, which will be the first to offer a hybrid powertrain. "By the nature of it, it's going to be a little bit in the market. There isn't going to be anything you can neatly say, it's a direct competitor of that – it's just seen in a lot of different spaces," said Honda Australia managing director, Rob Thorp. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The sentiment is backed up by Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph, who told CarExpert: "Prelude is a really fun car, but it's not a high-volume car. "It's a bit of a Swiss Army Knife – it really doesn't fit neatly into a segment and I think that's the opportunity that we get to leverage." In the Prelude's final year in Australia, 2001, total sales across the 'Sports' segment were 8820 across all makes, making up 1.14 per cent of all the 772,681 new vehicles sold that year. In 2024, the same Sports segment saw 10,633 sales, making up an even smaller 0.87 per cent share of all new cars sold (not including brands like Mahindra, Tesla and Polestar brands, which don't report to the official VFACTS figures, and would reduce this number further). While the price of the Prelude in Australia is yet to be announced, it will enter a dramatically different battleground when it returns in mid-2026 – but does the sports car market have room for another competitor in Prelude? "Yes, we think it does," Honda Australia managing director Ron Thorp told CarExpert. "We've actually been planning this for a little while, and … the nature of the model is it doesn't fit a market segment easily. "It will, from a VFACTS perspective and pricing, but the customer who we think will be interested, it's going to be quite a wide, broad base." "If you look at [Civic] Type R, we know who wants to buy Type R," Mr Thorp said. "Looking at the Prelude, it could be a sports cars person, but you could sort of see, to be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s buying them again – I think it's going to reattract a lot of consumers back to the Honda brand. "You can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles. "We sort of think that this is where the customer segment group might be," Mr Thorp said, with the Prelude potentially able to "attract a lot of different people from a lot of different areas". "It's also going to provide an opportunity to actually conquest and speak to new customers at the same time, and the combination of the two will allow us to generate great [brand] awareness and start to put Honda on a consideration list." More: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from: The Honda Prelude name will return to Australian showrooms for the first time in 25 years with its planned arrival in mid-2026, but it won't sit alongside any direct rivals nor set sales charts on fire, according to the brand. The Prelude was previously a mainstay in a highly competitive sports car market which has shrunk to a handful of models, including the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, Ford Mustang, Nissan Z and Toyota Supra. According to Honda, none of these are direct rivals to the 2026 Prelude, which will be the first to offer a hybrid powertrain. "By the nature of it, it's going to be a little bit in the market. There isn't going to be anything you can neatly say, it's a direct competitor of that – it's just seen in a lot of different spaces," said Honda Australia managing director, Rob Thorp. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The sentiment is backed up by Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph, who told CarExpert: "Prelude is a really fun car, but it's not a high-volume car. "It's a bit of a Swiss Army Knife – it really doesn't fit neatly into a segment and I think that's the opportunity that we get to leverage." In the Prelude's final year in Australia, 2001, total sales across the 'Sports' segment were 8820 across all makes, making up 1.14 per cent of all the 772,681 new vehicles sold that year. In 2024, the same Sports segment saw 10,633 sales, making up an even smaller 0.87 per cent share of all new cars sold (not including brands like Mahindra, Tesla and Polestar brands, which don't report to the official VFACTS figures, and would reduce this number further). While the price of the Prelude in Australia is yet to be announced, it will enter a dramatically different battleground when it returns in mid-2026 – but does the sports car market have room for another competitor in Prelude? "Yes, we think it does," Honda Australia managing director Ron Thorp told CarExpert. "We've actually been planning this for a little while, and … the nature of the model is it doesn't fit a market segment easily. "It will, from a VFACTS perspective and pricing, but the customer who we think will be interested, it's going to be quite a wide, broad base." "If you look at [Civic] Type R, we know who wants to buy Type R," Mr Thorp said. "Looking at the Prelude, it could be a sports cars person, but you could sort of see, to be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s buying them again – I think it's going to reattract a lot of consumers back to the Honda brand. "You can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles. "We sort of think that this is where the customer segment group might be," Mr Thorp said, with the Prelude potentially able to "attract a lot of different people from a lot of different areas". "It's also going to provide an opportunity to actually conquest and speak to new customers at the same time, and the combination of the two will allow us to generate great [brand] awareness and start to put Honda on a consideration list." More: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from: The Honda Prelude name will return to Australian showrooms for the first time in 25 years with its planned arrival in mid-2026, but it won't sit alongside any direct rivals nor set sales charts on fire, according to the brand. The Prelude was previously a mainstay in a highly competitive sports car market which has shrunk to a handful of models, including the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, Ford Mustang, Nissan Z and Toyota Supra. According to Honda, none of these are direct rivals to the 2026 Prelude, which will be the first to offer a hybrid powertrain. "By the nature of it, it's going to be a little bit in the market. There isn't going to be anything you can neatly say, it's a direct competitor of that – it's just seen in a lot of different spaces," said Honda Australia managing director, Rob Thorp. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The sentiment is backed up by Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph, who told CarExpert: "Prelude is a really fun car, but it's not a high-volume car. "It's a bit of a Swiss Army Knife – it really doesn't fit neatly into a segment and I think that's the opportunity that we get to leverage." In the Prelude's final year in Australia, 2001, total sales across the 'Sports' segment were 8820 across all makes, making up 1.14 per cent of all the 772,681 new vehicles sold that year. In 2024, the same Sports segment saw 10,633 sales, making up an even smaller 0.87 per cent share of all new cars sold (not including brands like Mahindra, Tesla and Polestar brands, which don't report to the official VFACTS figures, and would reduce this number further). While the price of the Prelude in Australia is yet to be announced, it will enter a dramatically different battleground when it returns in mid-2026 – but does the sports car market have room for another competitor in Prelude? "Yes, we think it does," Honda Australia managing director Ron Thorp told CarExpert. "We've actually been planning this for a little while, and … the nature of the model is it doesn't fit a market segment easily. "It will, from a VFACTS perspective and pricing, but the customer who we think will be interested, it's going to be quite a wide, broad base." "If you look at [Civic] Type R, we know who wants to buy Type R," Mr Thorp said. "Looking at the Prelude, it could be a sports cars person, but you could sort of see, to be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s buying them again – I think it's going to reattract a lot of consumers back to the Honda brand. "You can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles. "We sort of think that this is where the customer segment group might be," Mr Thorp said, with the Prelude potentially able to "attract a lot of different people from a lot of different areas". "It's also going to provide an opportunity to actually conquest and speak to new customers at the same time, and the combination of the two will allow us to generate great [brand] awareness and start to put Honda on a consideration list." More: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from: The Honda Prelude name will return to Australian showrooms for the first time in 25 years with its planned arrival in mid-2026, but it won't sit alongside any direct rivals nor set sales charts on fire, according to the brand. The Prelude was previously a mainstay in a highly competitive sports car market which has shrunk to a handful of models, including the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86, Ford Mustang, Nissan Z and Toyota Supra. According to Honda, none of these are direct rivals to the 2026 Prelude, which will be the first to offer a hybrid powertrain. "By the nature of it, it's going to be a little bit in the market. There isn't going to be anything you can neatly say, it's a direct competitor of that – it's just seen in a lot of different spaces," said Honda Australia managing director, Rob Thorp. CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal. The sentiment is backed up by Honda Australia CEO Jay Joseph, who told CarExpert: "Prelude is a really fun car, but it's not a high-volume car. "It's a bit of a Swiss Army Knife – it really doesn't fit neatly into a segment and I think that's the opportunity that we get to leverage." In the Prelude's final year in Australia, 2001, total sales across the 'Sports' segment were 8820 across all makes, making up 1.14 per cent of all the 772,681 new vehicles sold that year. In 2024, the same Sports segment saw 10,633 sales, making up an even smaller 0.87 per cent share of all new cars sold (not including brands like Mahindra, Tesla and Polestar brands, which don't report to the official VFACTS figures, and would reduce this number further). While the price of the Prelude in Australia is yet to be announced, it will enter a dramatically different battleground when it returns in mid-2026 – but does the sports car market have room for another competitor in Prelude? "Yes, we think it does," Honda Australia managing director Ron Thorp told CarExpert. "We've actually been planning this for a little while, and … the nature of the model is it doesn't fit a market segment easily. "It will, from a VFACTS perspective and pricing, but the customer who we think will be interested, it's going to be quite a wide, broad base." "If you look at [Civic] Type R, we know who wants to buy Type R," Mr Thorp said. "Looking at the Prelude, it could be a sports cars person, but you could sort of see, to be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s buying them again – I think it's going to reattract a lot of consumers back to the Honda brand. "You can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles. "We sort of think that this is where the customer segment group might be," Mr Thorp said, with the Prelude potentially able to "attract a lot of different people from a lot of different areas". "It's also going to provide an opportunity to actually conquest and speak to new customers at the same time, and the combination of the two will allow us to generate great [brand] awareness and start to put Honda on a consideration list." More: Everything Honda Content originally sourced from:
